King Khalid International Airport (RUH / OERK) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
RUH/OERK
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 00:54 local
- Active runway
- 15L / 15R
- METAR wind
- Unavailable
- Best spot
- Short final 15L - sunny side
- Sun
- 60° / -68°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
Category n/a
Night
Sunrise in 5h 5m
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Live METAR was unavailable, so the wind vector assumes calm air and prefers the longer runways.
Best Riyadh (RUH) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
Unavailable
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Sunrise in 5h 5m
Runway alerts for King Khalid International Airport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at RUH, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short final 15L - sunny side Runway 15L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 15R - sunny side Runway 15R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 15L / 15R · Dep 15L / 15R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15L | 150° | 13,796 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 33R | 330° | 13,796 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 15R | 150° | 13,796 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 33L | 330° | 13,796 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Riyadh (OERK)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.600 | Published |
| Approach | 120.000 | Published |
| Departure | 124.525 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.600 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.125 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.150 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Riyadh (RUH/OERK)
Which runway is active at Riyadh (RUH/OERK) right now?
As of the latest cycle local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 15L+15R. The METAR wind is unavailable. 15L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Riyadh (RUH) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 119° azimuth and 25° elevation. Short final 15L - sunny side scores 73/100, 1234 m from runway 15L, view bearing 179.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 247° and 16°. Short final 15L - sunny side scores 86/100 on a 120.7° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at King Khalid International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at King Khalid International Airport (RUH/OERK) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at OERK spotting locations?
OERK spotting locations sun direction: Short final 15L - sunny side (runway 15L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 15R - sunny side (runway 15R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 15:00. Avoid 10:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Riyadh (RUH)?
Short final 15L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 15L centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Riyadh (OERK)?
Monitor Tower 118.6 MHz, Ground 121.6 MHz, Approach 120.0 MHz, ATIS 127.15 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 118.6 MHz.
How do I know when Riyadh (RUH) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near unavailable, so 15L remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/OERK#runway-alerts